Ally’s Ciambellini with Wine and Olive Oil

It’s not only that I happen to love this particular cookie recipe (which I often make myself in a slightly different version including red wine and fennel seeds) – Alice also picked the best possible time to contribute to Dinner In Venice! I’m taking a short family vacation and this guest post means: “YAY! More play time with the kids”. While Allie is not Italian herself, her trademark cuisine, showcased in her addictive blog Ally’s Kitchen, is simple but sophisticated, a perfect balance of flavors – qualities that many identify with contemporary Italian taste. Her dishes are eclectic and show many different cultural influences, but this time she is actually taking us on a virtual trip to Central Italy……

ALLY SAYS:

Italian roots run deep in my life—married first time around to a D’Antoni, I was very influenced in my culinary growth in early years by being in the family. With three sons who could eat you out of house and home, some of their favorite dishes were all Italian inspired—pastas especially!

Still having a close connection to this part of my life, recently Ben and I traveled to Italy and visited our D’Antoni family there staying in their gorgeous home in Poggio Mirteto where food is the heart of living and breathing. Amid the stunning olive orchards, wine vineyards and listening to the gentle crowing of roosters in early morning, each day began with deliciousness! The long table set for family and friends and prepared by the expert hands of Antonella, ‘breaking bread’ was more than food, it was layers of entertainment, hours of laughter and sharing, and all with even more family in a rustic warm setting of food, wine, good stories, and laughter!

One recipe that captured my heart was ‘Ciambellini di Magro’—Italian cookies crispy and subtly sweet with distinct hints of the rich olive oil and wine in them! I couldn’t get enough. Antonella, who spoke limited English, and I, who speak even less Italian, had no problems communicating in the kitchen—she shared with me the recipe writing it in Italian and ‘talking’ with her hands and gestures explaining how to execute. We laughed as we both knew we were in a festive game of ‘charades’ talking recipes, food, and cooking!

Here is Allie/Alice, working her magic into the dough!

I’ve made these cookies three times since returning—sharing them with friends who come sit in my kitchen, I retell the story of Antonella & Ally in the kitchen—and, sharing them on my website and Facebook proved to be one of my most popular recipe posts!

On a large clean surface (I used a large wooden cutting board.) put about 2 cups of flour and make a center well.

Add the olive oil then 1 ½ cups of sugar and the salt. With your fingers work the sugar into the oil. Then add about a cup of flour and start working in with your fingers.

Continue working in the flour that is surrounding the oil. Add another ½ to ¾ cups of flour.

Then slowly start working in wine, a little at a time. The dough batter will be gooey and messy—not to worry. Keep adding flour until you dough consistency that can be shaped into a ball.

Put about ½ cup sugar (or more) in a pie plate. This is for coating the cookies before putting on the partchment-paper lined cookie sheet. Cut off a bit of the dough ball at a time and begin rolling into snakes then shape into pinwheels, make knots, or make donut holes.

Place in the pie plate of sugar and coat well. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat process until all the dough is used.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven about 17-21 minutes or until the cookies are somewhat golden brown (not much). -

Alessandra! Thank you so much for this wonderful sharing of my Italian family and the Ciambelli cookies! I’m going to have to try your version w/the red wine and fennel seeds! What fabulous flavors! This is really an honor to be here on your blog w/you and share…you’re a foodie goddess of the blogging world! xo ~~ally

So happy to find your recipe! I’m all Italian and the granddaughter of a professional baker but our family never made these cookies — we were more of a biscotti and love knot gang. I had never heard of ciambellini until I went to the 90-year old San Rocco festa in Aliquippa, PA last month. Almost everyone who emigrated from Patrica, Italy (Lazio region near Rome) settled in this same small town and even today there is still a strong sesnse of tradition among the residents and those who moved away and still come home to celebrate San Rocco. The famous composer Henry Mancini was also from Aliquippa and the San Roco band plays a tribute to him along with many other songs during the 3-day festa. Ciambellini is a key dessert sold there and as soon as I had one, I knew I had to make them. It was hard to track down a recipe, especially one that didn’t use the old italian measurements like “a glass of wine”. Thank you so much for sharing! My friends who went to the festa with me can’t wait for more ciambellini!

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[…] She’s an Italian food writer and lecturer who’s published in newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Forward, Hadassah, Joy of Kosher, The Jewish Week, and a variety of international publications from Russia, to Italy to Australia. And, I’m spending time in her glorious Italian kitchen! Come meet my wonderful foodie friend, Alessandra, as we share Ciambellini and Italy and eating! Read more~~ […]

Welcome to Dinner In Venice. Here in my "Cucina Italiana" I will share with you my favorite recipes and their origins. Join me over the stovetop, or just curl up on the couch while I pour you a virtual caffe', or a glass of sparkling Prosecco. Are you ready?